Unit Details
In today’s digital culture, collaborating across technological and organizational boundaries (borders) is key to achieving and exceeding desired business outcomes. Groupware refers to programs that help people work together collectively while located remotely from each other and enabling real-time collaboration resembling a virtual meeting room in which organisations work together over long distances or at different times of day.
Sometimes called collaborative software, groupware services can include the sharing of calendars, collective writing, e-mail handling, shared database access, electronic meetings with each person, able to see and display information to others, and other activities.
Managing a virtual team is also about the leadership of the project manager(s). We imagine that adopting a leadership style in the virtual world is quite different from how it is in real life. Even if the management is web based, it is still important to deliver your message across with clarity and to delegate effectively using the communication tools provided.
In this course we learn the benefits and features of groupware, and types of collaboration software. The difference between non-real time collaboration and real-time collaboration software (Asynchronous Vs. Synchronous). We will discover the most important reasons why you should consider using collaboration software for your small business together with motivating and disciplining staff to meet their deadlines and comply with deliverables. We also have the basics on this topic covered with various examples of Collaboration Software.
Skills covered:
- Collaboration
- Groupware
Introduction
In today’s world, almost all of us are into using technology particularly through the use of computers, and software is considered as part of using technology therefore leading to great advantages on our part. One among the most popular software widely utilised by many could be the collaboration software or collaborative groupware as termed by some.
Collaboration software is considered as application software created in order to help those people being involved into common task in order to achieve the same goal. Once this software is utilised in a working environment there will be creation of CWE or collaborative working environment. And this environment could support people into their cooperative and individual work as well as evolving into new class of professionals known as e-professionals. These e-professionals can work together regardless of the geographic location. Business could greatly benefit from using collaboration software particularly those small businesses.
Did you know that the amount of time employees spends engaged in collaborative work has increased by roughly 50%? For many people, it routinely takes up 80% or more of their time. Collaboration is so important, and yet many people do not do it well. But when you get collaboration right, you generate all kinds of positive results. Not only for you, but for the teams you lead and the organisation you serve.
Think about your own experiences working on teams. At one minute, you might be engaging with teammates in a deep conversation about how to solve a problem. The next moment, you might be updating another group about the status of a project. And a day later, you might be stalled out because you cannot proceed until a colleague hands off something to you.
